Five-star junior Skyy Clark committed to Kentucky on Thursday, choosing the Wildcats over North Carolina, UCLA and Memphis.
Clark becomes the third top-20 junior to announce his commitment, joining Emoni Bates (No. 1, Michigan State) and Dior Johnson (No. 11, Syracuse).
"It has been a blessing to be recruited by John Calipari and his staff," said Clark, whose lead recruiter was assistant coach Joel Justus. "He is not only a legend in college basketball but in the world of basketball. Any player that loves the game and dreams of playing at the next level has Kentucky on their list. Everyone knows how well he treats his players. He is an amazing coach and a better person. I love Coach Cal, he keeps it real and makes no promises."
A 6-foot-2 point guard from The Ensworth School (Tennessee), Clark is ranked No. 19 in the ESPN 60 for the 2022 class. Kentucky emerged as the clear favorite after the Wildcats extended a scholarship offer in July, but Clark had already taken an unofficial visit to Lexington and there was longstanding mutual interest.
"It's a perfect fit for me," Clark said. "I have watched games and practice film on Kentucky. I love the way they play defense and push the ball on offense. I took a visit when they played Auburn. The fans were incredible. You could not hear the person next to you."
Clark is a do-it-all point guard who loves to defend. He seeks out the best perimeter player from the opposing team and looks to guard him. He has worked on his shooting range and it now extends beyond the arc. Clark plays primarily with the ball in his hands as a playmaker and has demonstrated the ability to make his teammates better.
He improved his body during the pandemic, becoming leaner and stronger. He can be trusted at the end of games, given his ability to make good decisions and his accuracy at the free throw line.
Clark has long been a candidate to reclassify from the 2022 class to 2021 and enroll at Kentucky next year to play during the 2021-22 season. He has not made a public decision on reclassification yet.
He is the first commitment for Kentucky in the 2022 class. The Wildcats also have one pledge in 2021, ESPN 100 point guard Nolan Hickman.